Toothpick cutter and dispenser



J. POWERS.

TOOTHPICK CUTTER AND DISPENSER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4 I9I`9.

Patented N ov. 21, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Qc Gs m INVENTOR,

I`I Ill WITNESSES ATTORNEY 1. Powxxa's. TOOTHPICK CUTTER AND DISPENSER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4| ISI-9.

Patented NOV. 21, 1922 2 SHEETS-SIIEET 2.

twatented Nona 2i, i922.

'l rrr. l STATES :mns rownzas, or `:Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TOOTHPICK CUTTER AND ISE'ENSEB.

Application lcd February 4, 1910. Serial No. 274,939.

To all whom it may concern: i

Be it known that l, JAMES POWERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and Stateot California, have invented a new and useful Toothpick Cutter and Dispenser, of which the following is a specitication.

This invention has reference to toothpick cutters and dispensers, and its object is to provide a sanitary dispensing apparatus for toothpicks whereby the toothpicks are individually `out and delivered, as needed, by a customer desiring toothpicks, and are at all times protected from indiscriminate handling, while unnecessary waste of toothpicks is avoided. I

' The invention is intended particularly for use by the public where the article delivered is `tobe ,placed in the mouth. Ordinarily, toothpicks are offered to the public in restaurants, lunch rooms and other public eating places, in large or small receptacles, so

- that a customer in selecting a toothpick out or' such receptacles cannot avoid touching, with the lingers, numerous toothpicks before one can be extracted for use. it is practically unavoidable that after a meal the fingers ci the individual are not absolutely clean and there is no assurance that some, at least, oi' the in-lividuls have not some disease which may he communicated by the toothpiclts unintentionally handled; Furthermore, it is a very common custom in public places 'for individuals to indulge in extra helpings ci: toothpiclrs so that the supply of toothpicks represents a considerable expense to the management of eating places. Again, the

. handling of the toothpicks and placing them in the containers presents another element oi uncleanliness to be done away with.

All these objectionable features are avoided by theinvention, which vprovides toothpick stock in the shape ot relatively long strips which, in cross section, correspend to theshape of a toothpick and which strips may be made of veneer and may loe furnished in rolls or coils Wrapped to avoid contact in handling the` toothpick stock,

whereby `the chance of contamination in transit .and when `placing the stock in position for cutting and dispensing, is eliminated.

The inventiony contemplates the use of mechanism by. which the toothpick stock in the shape of a long band oi2 veneery is fed to a cutter which may he of the reciprocatory type and which, at each stroke, will sever a single toothpick from the strip and deliver it into position to be reached by a customer without being handled by any other person. Moreover, the invention y provides for the customer to be the operator of the mechanism which delivers a single toothpiclr and indi-y vidualizes it to the customer'. In this way chance of contamination is avoided and as the customer can get but one toothpiclr at a timethe liability of waste by extra helpings, as where toothpiclzs are rfreely available, is done away with, without, however, preventing the customer from obtainingmore than one toothpick it he so desires.

The invention further contemplates the use of a transparent `guard plate covering the cutter whatever its position and absolutely preventing the customer orany other person from handling the toothpick stock or the cutter.` Thus all danger of injury to the fingers is eliminated and no danger of communicating disease by contamination of the knife can arise. `While the end or the veneer band always projects trom the main body ot the dispenser, no fingers can reach to it because of the guard.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and moditied so long as such changes and modifications marlr no material departure from they salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

in the drawings `Figure l is a front elevation ofthe machine ot the invention.

Figure 2 isa front to rear section of the structure shown'in Figure 1, with some parts nearer than the line of section shown in elevation.V

Figure 3 is a sectiony on the line 3-3 of Figure `2.

Figure t is a side elevation of the machine shown in Figure l, with the manipulating` arm in cross section and some parts omitted.

` portion 8 somewhat wider than the flange 4 and at the outer edge having-an inturned flange 9, whereby to secure a glass pane 10 displaying certain portions of the interior mechanism of the casing located on the outer face of thefront casting 4. The back and top of the casing may comprise a single sheet 11 of metal having a hinge connection 12 at the vlower rear end with the bottoni 2, and at the upper portion bent toward the front of the machine. The sheet 11 is again bent, as

shown at 13, to form the top of the casing and engage over the'flange 4a where a lock, indicated at 13a may be provided.- In this manner authorized access to the interior of the machine may be conveniently had at any time by turning the back and top portion of the machine on the hinge 12. The glass pane l0 isspaced forwardly from the front board or partition 4 forming achamber or compartment 10a with a passageway 14 at the lower end to constitute a discharge opening. Underlying the compartment l()a is a tray or trough 15 which may be conveniently made of sheet metal appropriately bent into shape, and-continued to the bottom of the machine in front ofthe casting 4 to constitute a nish, the sheet metal lbeing held in place by screws 16 or the like.

Extending through the front casting 4 behind the glass pane 10 and at an appro priate distance above the discharge opening 10a is a slot 17 which may taper toward the front and is a little longer than the length of a toothpick. Secured to the front 4 on the outer face thereofn is a wear plate 18 which may be of hardened steel andhas a slot or passage 19 in front and forming` a continuation of the slot 17. In front of the wearA tom edge of the latter constitutes a fixed shear blade. The blade 2O is held to the plate 18 by screws 21 extending through slots 22 in the blade 2O so that the blade may have a limited up and down movement guided by the screws 21. The lower end of the blade 20 has a beveled `cutting edge 23 so as to produce a shear cut across the slot 19. Attached to the wear plate 18, near the upperend of chamber 10a, is a lever 24, the means of attachment being a pivot screw 25 extending through one end of the lever. The other end of the lever projects through an elongated vertical slot 26 in the side plate 7,v and exterior to the casing this lever is formed into a manipulating handle 27.

About midway of the length and width of the blade 20 there is attached thereto, by means of a screw 28, a link 29 also attached by a screwv 3 0,to the lever 24 about midway of its length. A. spring 31 secured at one end to a xed part of the structure, say, the screw 25, engages the under edge of the lever 24 and so normally holds the lever and the blade 20 in the 4elevated position. Formed through the frontV board or partition 4 and wear plate 18 is a curved slot-32 with the curvature described about the axis of movement of the lever 24. Extending through the slot 32 is a pin 33 entering the casing back of the vfront or partition 4, the pin 33 participating in movements of the lever 24 about its pivot screw 25.

.Fast to the rear face of the front board or partition 4 are brackets 34 constituting journal bearings for a rock shaft 35, which shaft carries roughened or milled feed wheels or rollers 36 spaced apart an appropriate dis tance on the shaft 35. At one end the shaft 35 has fast thereto a. ratchet wheelA 37 and mounted at one end on the shaft v35 to turn loosely thereon is an arm 38 carrying a pawl 39 engaging' the teeth of' the ratchet wheel 37. rlhe arm 38is an upstanding arm and has an elongated bearing face 40 at its upper endvin position to be engaged by the pin 33. A spring 41 fastenedatone end to the front or partition 4 and atrthe other end to the arm 38 has a constant tendency to urge the arm 38 toward the front board or partition 4. Below the face 40 the arm 38 yhas a cutaway or bevel portion 42, the face v40 being of less length than the travel of the pin 33 lengthwise of the arm. yThe bevel 42 is so proportioned that when the pin 33 reaches it the spring 41 will move the arm 38 toward the front or partition, thus carrying the pawl 39 idly over one tooth of the ratchet 37. rlhis occurs during the downward or cutting `stroke of the blade 20. When the handle 27 is released and the blade 20 is raised by the spring v31 the ypin 33 engages the bevel 42'andthereby forces the arm 38l away from the partition 4, thus turning the ratchet 37 a distance of one tooth. i

Below the slot 17 and inor approimateli7 in the plane of the shaft 35 is another shaft 43 carrying plain or'smooth supporting roll-- ers 44. The shaft 43 is journaled at 'the ends in rockarms 45 fast on a shaft or arbor 46 carried lby brackets 47 fast on the partition 4; The shaftV 46 is surrounded by springs 48, each one end'49 engaging a respective arm and at the A,other-end 50 engaging against the inner face of the partition 4. The tendencyof the springsv48 is to move the rollers 44 towards the rollers 3d 'lhere is also provided a strip 51 of wood veneer from which the toothpicks are to be made. The edge portions 52 of the strip 51 are beveled so that in cross section the strip 51 corresponds to the shape of a doublepointed toothpick of Jfamiliar form. lt will be understood, however, that other shapes may be used. rlhe strip 51 passes between the rollers 36 and 44 and is gripped thereby. The rollers 36, each time the arm B8 is forced against the action of the spring l1 by the rising movement of the pin 33, `feed the strip 51 a distance corresponding to the width ott a toothpick, the strip being thereby fed beyond the slot 19 in the wear plate 18 a like distance. `When the handle 27' is manipulated by a customer to lower the blade 20 a toothpick is severed from. the strip 51 and falls through the discharge opening 14 into the trough 153 within easy reach of the customer. On releasing the handle 27 the parts are returned to their first position by the spring 31 and the strip 51 is fed beyond the outer face of the wear plate 18 a distance suiiicient to provide for the cutting` oil ot another toothpiclr from the strip 51.

To economize space the strip 51 is rolled up into a coil, as shown in Figure 2, 'in which form the strip 51, constitutingtoothpick stock, may be `tarnished wrapped to avoid contamination in handling. i curved guard plate is carried by the blocks 3 to prevent interference of the strip with parts in front of it.

lt will be seen that the structure shown and described provides for the cutting and dispensing` oi? toothpiclrs, one at a time and individualized to the custon'ier, by mechanism manipulated by a customer desiring a toothpiclr. But one toothpick is 'formed at a time and one toothpick is usually all customer desires. lf more than one toothpick is wanted then it is necessary to manipulate the machine as many times as there are toothpiclrs desired. llhere is no handling of the toothpiclrs except those delivered directly to the customer and the toothpiclr stock is thoroughly protected from handling by the customers or others. The glass pane 10 forms a guard for the cutter, preventing accidental injury to the fingers, preventing handling of the knife, keeping the fingers away from the end of the toothpick stock, providing a chute down which the cut toothpicks may tall, and permitting each customer to see with his own eyes that he is obtaining a toothpick made for and by himselt alone. The structure is therefore oit particularly sanitary character, and, furthermore, there is no incentive for a customer to take many toothpiclrs at a time simply because they are accessible. The invention there-fore contributes toward economy as well as sanitation for, although toothpicks are very cheap, the amount of wastage dus to customers taking many toothpiclrs, will in large establishments, represent a material amount of money in the course oi a year.

lthat is claimed is 1. A device o' the character described comprising` bottom and front members fastened together, sides 'tast to the bottom and iront .members and having' forwardly projecting overhang parts, the iront member having a transverse sl t therethrough be tween the overhang parts ot the sides and also having a forwardly projecting top liange, and a rear and cover member completing the casing and closing the interior ot the casingagainst unauthorized access, said casing having a transparent pane between the overhang` members and separated from the front ot the casing by the top iiange of said iront to form an open-bot- I?,

tom compartment, feeding' mechanism for toothpiclr stock in the form ot a veneer strip housed within the main body et the casing and movable through the slot in the 'front of the casing into the iiront compartment, said teedingv mechanism being carried by the rear face oit the trent or the casing, a shear blade carried by the front tace of the front oit the casing within the compartment thereon and movable across the slot to shear oil' toothpiclrs from the toothpiclr stock, spring means for maintaining the shear blade in a normally inactive position, said blade having a range et movement above the lower open end ot' the con'ipartment whereby the latter serves as a guard for said blade and for the projecting end ot the tooth pick stock and a manipulating lever connected to the blade and provided with a 'handle exw tendine' through the side ot the tor access by the customer, said lever having means for actuating the feeding mechanism in alternation with the active movement oi: thevblade, whereby the customer may sever a single toothpiclr from the toothpiclr stoel; in` plain sight of for delivery directly to the customer from the bottom of the front compartment, with the return ot the blade and lever to normal position causing the feed ot the stock into the Aliront compartment for a distance equal to the width of a single toothpick.

E2. A device of the character described comprising bottom and front members :tastened together, sides iast to the bottom and front members and having forwardly projecting overhang parts, the iront member having a transverse slot therethrough between the overhang parts of the sides and also having a forwardly projecting top iange, and a rear and cover member completing the casing and closing the interior of the casing against unauthorized access, said casing having a transparent pane between the overhang members and separated ried by the rear face of the front of theI casing, a shear blade carried by the front face of the front of the casing within the compartment thereon and movable across the slot to shear off toothpicks from the toothpiek stock, spring means for maintain-V ing the shear blade inl a normally inactive position, said blade having a range of movement above the lower open end of the compartment, whereby the latter serves as a guard for the blade and for the projecting end of the tooth pick stock and a manipul-ating lever connected to the blade and pro; vided with a handle extending through the side of the casing for accessby the customer, saidv lever having means for actuating the feeding mechanism in alternation with the active movement of the blade, whereby the customer may sever a single toothpick from the toothpick stock in plain sight for delivery directly to the customer from the bottom of the front compartment, with the return of the blade and lever to normal position causing the feed of the stock into the front compartment for. a distance equal to the width of a single toothpick, said casing also being provided with a trough or hopper immediately beneath the lower end of the front compartment to receive the severed toothpick from the casing and present it in accessible position to the customer.

3. A device whereby a narrow article may be cut as occasion requires, and such articles and the operation of cutting them be supervised, comprising an enclosure adapted to receive a supply of material to be cut, a wall forming one side of said enclosure hav-- ing an opening therethrough, means in the enclosure for feeding material through said opening, a knife operating across thev opening on the other side of the wall, anda compartment enclosing the knife throughout its range of operation,v said compartment being of such a character and extending suliciently below the opening and havin-g itself a discharge opening for the cut article, whereby the human hand is excluded from the compartment and from the knife, so that ing an opening therethrough, meansv in theL enclosure for feeding` material through said opening, a knife operating across the opening on the other side of the wall, said feeding means including rollers engaging opposite sides of the material to be cut, and pawl and ratchet means for rotating the rollers, a rock arm carrying the ratchet and'provided with plane and beveled portions, a pin carried by the knife and movable therewith to engage the plane and beveled portions of the rock arm7 whereby return movement of the blade following cuttingk of the narrow article brings about feeding of the material, and a compartment enclosing the knife throughout its range of operation, said compartment being of such a character and extending sufficiently below the opening and having itself a discharge opening for the cut article whereby the human hand is excluded from the compartmentland from the knife, so that the cutting is done under sanitary condi tions, and one wall of the compartment being transparent, whereby the operation of cutting may be observed.

In testimony, that I claim theforegoing at' my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

JAMES POWERS., 

